Driving transmissions for the rear and front wheels of motor vehicles



25, 1964 E. T. J. TAPP ETAL 3,145,793

DRIVING TRANSMISSION FOR THE REAR AND FRONT WHEELS OF MOTOR VEHICLESOriginal Filed Nov. 30, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 win A g- 1964 E. T. J.TAPP ETAL 3,145,798

DRIVING TRANSMISSION FOR THE REAR AND FRONT WHEELS OF MOTOR VEHICLESOriginal Filed Nov. 30, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 [M557 21/. 7 4 dosfpa Dal[y 25, 1964 E. T. J. TAPP ETAL 3,145,798

DRIVING TRANSMISSION FOR THE REAR AND FRONT WHEELS 0F MOTOR VEHICLESOriginal Filed Nov. 30,- 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 9 Q 96 Q 1 Q .1

bvvmvmes P/vzarr 21/ TAPP Moss/w D4 vs United States Patent M 3,15,798DRIVING TRANSMISSIGNS FGR THE REAR AND FRONT WHEELS 0F MQTGR VEHICLESErnest Thomas James Tapp and Joseph Davey, Aldershot,

England, assignors to Qonnty Commercial Cars Limited, Aldershot,England, a British company Original application Nov. 3'9, 1959, Ser. No.856,057, now Patent No. 3,954,468, dated Sept. 18, 1962. Divided andthis application June 19, 1961, Ser. No. 117,961 Claims priority,application Great Britain Dec. 2, 1958 7 Claims. (Cl. 1811-44) Thisapplication is a divisional of our co-pending United States applicationSerial No. 856,057 filed November 30, 1959 for Driving Transmissions forthe Rear and Front Wheels of Motor Vehicles and since issued as PatentNo. 3,054,468.

This invention relates to driving transmissions for the rear wheels andfront wheels of a motor vehicle at least one of which pairs is steerableand particularly for a four wheeled drive tractor and has for an objectto provide a simple and light and robust arrangement.

According to this invention a motor driven vehicle comprises steerablewheels at one end on opposite sides thereof and non-steerable wheels atthe other end on opposite sides thereof, an engine, a supportingstructure projecting laterally from said sides of the vehicle where apivotal connection between the vehicle and supporting structure permitsthe structure to rock about a fore and aft axis, a casing fixed to eachend of said structure, a driving shaft rotatable in said casing, amounting for a steerable Wheel axle pivotally connected to each casingto swing about an axis extending in an up and down direction, auniversal joint connecting said shaft to the steerable wheel axle, asteering transmission adapted to swing both said mountings, a drivingaxle for each non-steerable wheel mounted in an axle casing, atransmission connecting each said axle to one of the driving shafts, afore and aft extending casing enclosing each said transmission and fixedat one end to one of said casings for the driving shaft and a universaljoint connecting the other end of each fore and aft extending casing toone of said axle casings.

In one form of the invention each said transmission is a geartransmission comprising a fore and aft shaft extending through each saidfore and aft extending casing, a gear wheel fixed to one end of eachsaid fore and aft shaft and in mesh with a gear wheel on one of saiddriving shafts for one end of a steerable wheel, a gear wheel fixed toeach said axle shaft in mesh with a gear wheel on a spindle in the axlecasing and a universal joint connecting said spindle to the other end ofthe fore and aft extending shaft.

In an alternative arrangement each said transmission comprises a chainand sprocket transmission comprising a sprocket wheel fixed to saiddriving shaft in each casing fixed to said support a sprocket wheelfixed in relation to the axle shaft for each non-steered wheel; a chainencircling said sprocket wheels and extending through said fore and aftextending casing.

In such arrangements non-steerable wheels are driven through adifferential gear having output shafts either driving said wheels director driving said wheels through lay shafts geared thereto and whereineither said lay shafts or said output shafts are arranged to drive saidtransmissions.

In the case where a gear transmission is provided, each said axle shaftmay comprise said lay shaft driving said spindle through meshing gearwheels.

In the case where the transmission is a chain and sprocket transmissiona sprocket wheel is fixed to each axle shaft which directly drives anon-steerable wheel.

The following is a description of two embodiments of 3,145,798 PatentedAug. 25, 1964 the invention reference being made to the accompanyingdrawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of part of a tractor, parts of which are shownin section, and shows an arrangement in which the steerable wheels aredriven through a gear transmission; and

FIGURE 2 is a similar view to FIGURE 1 showing an arrangement in whichthe steerable wheels are driven through a chain and sprockettransmission.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged view of the universal joint between the axlecasing and the transmission casing.

Referring to the arrangement shown in FIGURE 1, the front part of atractor 11) has pivotally secured at 82 to the underside thereof asupporting structure 81 which projects from the sides of the tractor. Aswill be seen, the supporting structure is comparatively slender and thuscan resiliently yield in a fore and aft direction, as well as twistabout its longitudinal axis. Each end of the structure 81 is fixed to afirst gear casing having a driving shaft 78 mounted in bearings 83 andwhich has fixed to it a bevel gear 79.

The driving shaft 78 is connected by a Hookes type joint 84 to asteerable wheel spindle 77. This wheel spindle '77 is carried by abearing 85 in a housing 86 having a partial spherical shell 87 whichembraces a partial spherical shell 88 of the fixed casing 89, thecenters of the spheres and of the Hookes joint coinciding. A steeringtransmission 71 is adapted to control the steering of the front wheels41.

Each bevel gear wheel 79 is in mesh with a bevel pinion indicated byreference numeral 79' on a fore and aft extending shaft '72 which issurrounded by a tubular third casing 89, one end of which is rigidlyfixed at 90 to the gear casing 80 associated with the front wheel 41.The other end of casing 89 is provided with a partial spherical flange91 arranged Within a spherical socket 92 which is a part of a secondcasing 93 which houses the Hookes joint 73, 74. The part '74 of thisHookes joint is fixed to a spindle 75 mounted in the second casing 93and is driven by a lay axle shaft 11 through bevel gearing 76. The layaxle shaft 11 is located in housing 19 and constitutes the output shaftfor the differential gear 8 and is driven by the engine 3 through thecustomary propeller shaft 6 and, in addition to driving the spindle 75,drives the axle 9 which in turn drives the rear wheel 5 (indicated bythe chain line) through a transmission 7.

The centers of the sperical flange 91 and the socket 32 coincide withthe center of the latter Hookes joint 73, 74.

The arrangement shown in FIGURE 2 is similar to that last describedabove but instead of each shaft 78 being driven by bevel gearing it hasfixed to it a sprocket wheel 93 which is encircled by a chain 94 alsoencircling a sprocket wheel 97 fixed to one of the wheel hubs 98. The.chain is enclosed in a casing 99 fixed at its forward end to the casing34) and mounted on the axle casing at its rear end by a universal joint96. In such an arrangement, the differential 8 may drive the wheelshafts 9 in a conventional manner rather than through lay shafts.Alternatively the wheel shafts may be driven through lay shafts drivenby the differential and the sprocket wheels may be mounted on the layshafts.

We claim:

1. A motor driven vehicle having steerable wheels at one end on oppositesides thereof and non-steerable wheels at the other end on oppositesides thereof, an engine, a resilient supporting structure projectinglaterally from the sides of the vehicle and yieldable in a fore and aftdirection, a pivotal connection between the vehicle and the supportingstructure permitting the structure to rock about a fore and aft axis andwhich supporting structure is thus adapted to yield both torsionallyabout a transverse axis and in a fore and aft direction, a first casingfixed to each end of said structure, a driving shaft rotatable in saidfirst casing, a mounting for a steerable wheel axle pivotally connectedto each first casing to swing about an axis extending in an up and downdirection, a universal joint connecting said driving shaft to thesteerable wheel axle,

a steering transmission adapted to swing both said mount-.

ings, a lay axle shaft rotating with each non-steerable wheel, a spindlemounted in a second casing, transmission means interconnecting the layaxle shaft and the spindle, a fore and aft extending shaft connectingsaid spindle to said driving shaft in the first casing, a third casingextending in a fore and aft direction and enclosing said fore and aftextending shaft and fixed at one end to one of said first casings and auniversal joint connecting the other end of each third casing to one ofsaid second casings.

2. A motor driven vehicle according to claim 1 and wherein a gear wheelis fixed to one end of each said fore and aft extending shaft and is inmesh with a gear wheel on one of said driving shafts for one of thesteerable wheels, and wherein the transmission means includes a gearwheel fixed to each said lay axle shaft in mesh with a gear wheel on aspindle in said second casing and wherein a universal joint connectssaid spindle to the other end of the fore and aft extending shaft.

3. A motor driven vehicle according to claim 1 in which thenon-steerable wheels are driven through a differential gear having twooutput shafts, said output shafts constituting said lay axle shafts andgeared to the non-steerable wheels, said lay axle shafts being arrangedto drive said transmissions through said last-named means.

4. A motor driven vehicle according to claim 1 in which thenon-steerable wheels are driven through a differential gear'having twooutput shafts, said output shafts constituting said lay axle shafts andgeared to the non-steerable wheels, said lay axle shafts being arrangedto drive, through gearing which constitutes the last-named means, thespindles, and additional universal joints connect said spindles and thefore and aft extending shafts to thereby drive the driving shafts forthe steerable wheels.

5. A motor driven vehicle having steerable wheels at one end on oppositesides thereof and non-steerable wheels at the other end on oppositesides thereof, an engine, a resilient supporting structure projectinglaterally from the sides of the vehicle and yieldable in a fore and aftdirection, a pivotal connection between the vehicle and the supportingstructure permitting the structure to rock about a fore and aft axis andwhich supporting structure is thus adapted to yield both torsionallyabout a transverse axis and in a fore. and aft direction, a first casingfixed to each end of said structure, a driving shaft rotatable in saidfirst casing, a mounting for a steerable wheel axle pivotally connectedto each first casing to swing about an axis extending in an up and downdirection, a universal joint connecting said driving shaft to thesteerable wheel axle, a steering transmission adapted to swing both saidmountings, an axle shaft driving each nonsteerable wheel, a secondcasing for each axle shaft, transmission rneans extending in a fore andaft direction interconnecting the axle shaft and the driving shaft inthe first casing, a third casing extending in a fore and aft directionand enclosing said transmission means and fixed at one end to one ofsaid first casings, a universal joint connecting the other end of eachthird casing to one of said second casings, said last-mentionedtransmission means comprising a chain and sprocket drive having asprocket wheel fixed to said driving shaft in each first casing fixed tosaid supporting structure, a sprocket wheel fixed to said axle shaft foreach non-steerable wheel, arid a chain encircling said sprocket wheelsand extending through said fore and aft extending third casing.

6. A motor driven vehicle according to claim 5 in which thenon-steerable wheels are driven through a differential gear havingoutput shafts driving said non-steerable wheels directly and whereinsaid output shafts constitute said axle shafts and are arranged to drivesaid last mentioned transmissions.

7. A motor driven vehicle according to claim 5 in which the axle shaftson which the non-steerable wheels are mounted are driven through adifferential gear from a propeller shaft driven by the said engine.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,164,206 Pamer Dec. 14, 1915 1,239,990 Ware Sept. 11, 1917 1,244,512Ledbetter Oct. 30, 1917 1,421,024 Pifer June 27, 1922 2,595,494 StratmanMay 6, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 632,372 France Oct. 1, 1927 7 1,105,182France June 29, 1955 770,667 Great Britain Mar. 20, 1957

5. A MOTOR DRIVEN VEHICLE HAVING STEERABLE WHEELS AT ONE END ON OPPOSITESIDES THEREOF AND NON-STEERABLE WHEELS AT THE OTHER END ON OPPOSITESIDES THEREOF, AN ENGINE, A RESILIENT SUPPORTING STRUCTURE PROJECTINGLATERALLY FROM THE SIDES OF THE VEHICLE AND YIELDABLE IN A FORE AND AFTDIRECTION, A PIVOTAL CONNECTION BETWEEN THE VEHICLE AND THE SUPPORTINGSTRUCTURE PERMITTING THE STRUCTURE TO ROCK ABOUT A FORE AND AFT AXIS ANDWHICH SUPPORTING STRUCTURE IS THUS ADAPTED TO YIELD BOTH TORSIONALLYABOUT A TRANSVERSE AXIS AND IN A FORE AND AFT DIRECTION, A FIRST CASINGFIXED TO EACH END OF SAID STRUCTURE, A DRIVING SHAFT ROTATABLE IN SAIDFIRST CASING, A MOUNTING FOR A STEERABLE WHEEL AXLE PIVOTALLY CONNECTEDTO EACH FIRST CASING TO SWING ABOUT AN AXIS EXTENDING IN AN UP AND DOWNDIRECTION, A UNIVERSAL JOINT CONNECTING SAID DRIVING SHAFT TO THESTEERABLE WHEEL AXLE, A STEERING TRANSMISSION ADAPTED TO SWING BOTH SAIDMOUNTINGS, AN AXLE SHAFT DRIVING EACH NONSTEERABLE WHEEL, A SECONDCASING FOR EACH AXLE SHAFT, TRANSMISSION MEANS EXTENDING IN A FORE ANDAFT DIRECTION INTERCONNECTING THE AXLE SHAFT AND THE DRIVING SHAFT INTHE FIRST CASING, A THIRD CASING EXTENDING IN A FORE AND AFT DIRECTIONAND ENCLOSING SAID TRANSMISSION MEANS AND FIXED AT ONE END TO ONE OFSAID FIRST CASINGS, A UNIVERSAL JOINT CONNECTING THE OTHER END OF EACHTHIRD CASING TO ONE OF SAID SECOND CASINGS, SAID LAST-MENTIONEDTRANSMISSION MEANS COMPRISING A CHAIN AND SPROCKET DRIVE HAVING ASPROCKET WHEEL FIXED TO SAID DRIVING SHAFT IN EACH FIRST CASING FIXED TOSAID SUPPORTING STRUCTURE, A SPROCKET WHEEL FIXED TO SAID AXLE SHAFT FOREACH NON-STEERABLE WHEEL, AND A CHAIN ENCIRCLING SAID SPROCKET WHEELSAND EXTENDING THROUGH SAID FORE AND AFT EXTENDING THIRD CASING.